CHENNAI: UPI payments may soon be possible even without internet connectivity or mobile network, with a new payment facility based on Near Field Communication (NFC) technology expected to be introduced.
According to a Daily Thanthi report, users will be able to make payments of up to Rs 2,000 per transaction without requiring an internet connection or entering a PIN.
To use the service, users will have to load money into their UPI Lite account in advance while internet connectivity is available.
Payments can then be made by simply placing the mobile phone near the merchant's payment terminal.
Unlike the existing *99# service, which requires a mobile network, and UPI 123 Pay, which depends on phone calls, the new NFC-based facility will allow transactions by tapping the phone on the payment device without requiring either internet access or a mobile signal.